Tuesday, October 07, 2003

CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN'

what a disgrace this recall is.

let's take one of the most plausible scenarios. you really want davis recalled, you really want bustamente to replace him, but you really don't want schwartzeneger to win. what do you do?

if you vote for what you really want, yes to the recall, and for bustamente, you will probably end up with gov. arnold.

if you vote no on the recall and vote for bustamente you're voting for something you don't want with vote-one which may in fact cancel out vote-two.

so you have to try to predict probable outcomes. what do you want more, davis recalled or no arnold? what is more likely to happen if you vote this way or that?

the result therefore is not a democracy, a registration of voters wishes; it is perhaps more so, a demonstration of their
predictive (dis)abilities.

i bet there are a lot of californians who are in exactly this position right now; hispanics and women who are fed up with davis but who are more opposed to a nazi groper who supported prop. 54.

what a horrible position to put voters in.

voters shouldn't be thrown into these existential dilemmas. they have enough trouble with punch cards.


-benjamin harris

No comments: